BRIDGEWATER, Va. - Eastern Mennonite used a 29-9 run in the game's final 13 minutes to erase a 12-point deficit en route to a 61-53 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) victory over the Bridgewater Eagles (2-2, 1-1 ODAC) in women's basketball action in Nininger Hall.

Both teams traded scores early on with the game standing at a 6-6 deadlock with 16:41 to play in the opening frame.

Sophomore Bianca Ygarza knocked down the front end of a one-and-one to open a 9-2 run for the Royals which put Eastern Mennonite (4-0, 2-0 ODAC) ahead by a 15-8 margin with 12:45 to play in the opening stanza.

Bridgewater responded with a big run of its own when junior Katelynn Hottinger knocked down a pair of free throws to open a 14-0 Eagles run over the next four minutes and change to put BC up by a 22-15 margin with eight minutes left in the first half.

The Royals drew the Bridgewater lead back to a 24-23 tally with 2:40 to play in the first before the Eagles closed out the opening frame on a 7-2 spurt to take a 31-25 halftime lead.

Bridgewater converted a dozen EMU miscues in the first half into a 15-to-9 advantage off of turnovers and also owned a 12-to-6 advantage on the fast break.

Out of the halftime break, Bridgewater built its lead to 12 on multiple occasions with the Eagles maintaining a 44-32 lead with 12:43 to play.

Following junior Jessica Mullen's layup with 12:43 left, Bridgewater went on a four-and-a-half minute scoring drought which allowed Eastern Mennonite to close to within two at a 44-42 margin. Hottinger knocked in a layup which ended the Eagles scoreless drought with 8:06 to play and had the Eagles clinging to a 46-42 advantage.

Eastern Mennonite responded in a hurry and used a 14-3 run over the next five minutes to take a seven point lead at a 56-49 margin with 3:13 to play.

Bridgewater got the lead to as low as six on a pair of occasions but couldn't overcome poor shooting down the stretch before falling by a 61-53 margin to the Royals.

The Eagles were led offensively by Mullen's 17-point effort. Senior guard Jenny Logan was also outstanding in the loss, scoring eight points, while pulling down a team high 10 rebounds. Hottinger  also chipped in 11 points in the loss.

Eastern Mennonite was paced by Ygarza's monster 18-point, 13-rebound double-double. Ygarza also posted seven steals in the win.

Bridgewater outshot the Royals by a 44%-to-32% margin in the first half, but shot a meager 9-of-32 from the field in the second half as Eastern Mennonite edged the Eagles in the shooting department by a 36%-to-35% tally.

The Royals bench played a key factor in the victory, outscoring the Bridgewater reserves by a 39-to-14 margin.

Bridgewater is back in action on Wednesday when it travels to Virginia Wesleyan. Action against the Marlins is set for a 6:00 p.m. tip off.